The Mirage Factory

Illusion, Imagination, and the Invention of Los Angeles

By: Gary Krist

Narrated by: Rob Shapiro

From best-selling author Gary Krist, the story of the metropolis that never should have been and the visionaries who dreamed it into reality

Little more than a century ago, the southern coast of California - bone-dry, harbor-less, isolated by deserts and mountain ranges - seemed destined to remain scrappy farmland. Then, as if overnight, one of the world’s iconic cities emerged. At the heart of Los Angeles’ meteoric rise were three flawed visionaries. William Mulholland, an immigrant ditch-digger turned self-taught engineer, designed the massive aqueduct that would make urban life here possible. D.W. Griffith, who transformed the motion picture from a vaudeville-house novelty into a cornerstone of American culture, gave LA its signature industry. And Aimee Semple McPherson, a charismatic evangelist who founded a religion, cemented the city’s identity as a center for spiritual exploration.

All were masters of their craft, but also illusionists, of a kind. The images they conjured up - of a blossoming city in the desert, of a factory of celluloid dreamworks, of a community of seekers finding personal salvation under the California sun - were like mirages liable to evaporate on closer inspection. All three would pay a steep price to realize these dreams, in a crescendo of hubris, scandal, and catastrophic failure of design that threatened to topple each of their personal empires. Yet when the dust settled, the mirage that was LA remained.

Spanning the years from 1900 to 1930, The Mirage Factory is the enthralling tale of an improbable city and the people who willed it into existence by pushing the limits of human engineering and imagination.

©2018 Gary Krist (P)2018 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“[Krist’s] dramatic portrayals of politics, scandals, sabotage, and bombings make for a rich, rewarding read.... An entertaining, intertwined tale of triumph, hubris, and Manifest Destiny in the city of angels.” (Kirkus)

"[Krist] marshals his considerable storytelling skills to capture Los Angeles at a critical moment...expertly weav[ing] together the stories of Griffith, Mulholland and McPherson.... But above all Krist is a nimble scene-setter, and it's the indelible details he offers that give The Mirage Factory its mesmerizing pull." (The New York Times)

"As a writer, Krist is a dream-weaver...exquisite pacing and seamless shifting between the characters allow their stories to connect.... I've read dozens of histories of the Los Angeles Aqueduct, and none are as viscerally compelling or as clear in detailed descriptions of the complicated machinations as Krist's account.... Krist's book is so good that, like the best movies, it ends up inverting the genre." (The Washington Post)

Fascinating!

An amazing intertwining of the several makor enterprises that created Los Angeles and the people who made it happen!

Very interesting and enjoyable!

I learned a lot from this book that I didn’t know and the narration and writing made for a very enjoyable day listening to this book straight thru which is something I rarely do. If your a fan of history then I think you would enjoy this book.

Excellently done

Great content and a narrator that kept it interesting and flowing. Early L. A. info

A great story

The flow of this comprehensive story is masterful. 4 beginnings wrapped into three intertwining stories. The beginning of water in LA, the beginning of Hollywood as a movie capital, the beginning of the four square church and the beginning of LA the vast metropolis. Rob Shapiro is a magnificent narrator and Krist does a great job of melding the stories into a cohesive narrative. As a native Angelino I found this book to be a fascinating look into the evolution of the city I love.

Amazing history of LA

Loved this book. If you know little of LA history, and even if you don't care of how it came to be, this book is an amazing account of a city that only came about because of the focus of brilliant - yet flawed - people. I couldn't put it down.

Transplanted to LA

As an immigrant to Los Angeles 50 years ago, I was knowledgeable enough about the three stars of this extravaganza but very ignorant of the specifics of the County, City, suburbs and history of the people & places & how they got to be what they have become in 2022. The fact that the DWP is still corrupt, that enough water for a growing community is an ever present problem & that pervasive racism still abounds is amazing. “Hollywood” now is more a concept than a specific place is also apparent.
I loved the story; the presentation is exquisite & the future is still cloudy. It is well written if a little bit jumpy from place to place & time period to time period.
I highly recommend this tome to everyone interested in this magnificent country of ours & specifically LALA LAND.

AMAZING BOOK

Somehow, this author wrote the most amazing history book that delves into the history of film, natural resources and religion of Los Angeles. I particularly loved how much he wrote about Aimee Semple McPherson - the evangelical Pentecostal minister who probably has more influence on southern California’s conservative religious population than you realize. The film stuff was so interesting and the water battles play out like a movie. I loved it all.

A great story about history

This book was pieced together so well it flowed from one topic to another. The research done to write this book was staggering. I really like the fact the story was told only on documented facts, no added impressions or guesses.

Wonderful, embodies the material

This is my first of Krist - and I have to say it is incredibly well researched and executed. I do sense a tinge if self indulgent nostalgia - but as someone not originally from LA I can say that it is still quite enjoyable.

The narration is ON POINT. I cannot stress this enough - as this is an audiobook - the narration is flawless and a joy to listen to, especially for the material.

Incredible

Superbly written and narrated. You will love it. Hands down, favorite book of the year.